Over the past week, SPIDER has made a lot of progress! Our cryostat (Theo) and the gondola are together at last, Theo has been filled with liquid helium, and we have cold detectors (almost -273 Celsius). And things seem to be working well. Which is a little unsettling…
![Johanna is punchy Johanna is punchy • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875824306/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7517/15875824306_61f5742315_m.jpg)
Johanna is punchy
![Arts and crafts continue Arts and crafts continue • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15714131878/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8625/15714131878_aaf6114df6_m.jpg)
Arts and crafts continue
Rounding the edges of the baffles
![Say hello to Ivan Say hello to Ivan's little friend • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15715753819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8589/15715753819_6d20372cdc_m.jpg)
Say hello to Ivan's little friend
New carbon fibre, as a backup plan for dealing with the damaged gondola tube
![Pivot "earrings" Pivot "earrings" • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875823646/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8637/15875823646_7c96d2f385_m.jpg)
Pivot "earrings"
New custom shackles to adjust for geometry
![Pivot heaters and wiring Pivot heaters and wiring • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15281985953/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7483/15281985953_88e50c1533_m.jpg)
Pivot heaters and wiring
![The belly of Theo The belly of Theo • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875823636/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7570/15875823636_d203291d92_m.jpg)
The belly of Theo
![Neatly routed cables Neatly routed cables • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15901627645/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7468/15901627645_643c5d78e7_m.jpg)
Neatly routed cables
By Sasha and I
![Damaged board Damaged board • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875822686/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8586/15875822686_11b284c128_m.jpg)
Damaged board
![Exploded capacitor Exploded capacitor • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15281984853/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7523/15281984853_6f947ffcd4_m.jpg)
Exploded capacitor
After letting the magic black smoke out, it no longer works. I replace it (and some other damaged parts)
![Trouble with the motorized valves Trouble with the motorized valves • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15715862687/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7461/15715862687_57f8a853a4_m.jpg)
Trouble with the motorized valves
Anne and I worry about this
![Teaser: Theo on the gondola Teaser: Theo on the gondola • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15899647701/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8581/15899647701_4ee041bcd6_m.jpg)
Teaser: Theo on the gondola
I will make a separate post soon for lift day
![The bare sun shields The bare sun shields • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15281983943/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7503/15281983943_b386592c71_m.jpg)
The bare sun shields
Taking up all the space recently vacated by Theo
![Condition 2 Condition 2 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15715576899/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7566/15715576899_9786697ce1_m.jpg)
Condition 2
Low visiblity
![Faceless person works on star cameras Faceless person works on star cameras • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15281983753/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7515/15281983753_10270df408_m.jpg)
Faceless person works on star cameras
![John constructs a scale to weigh helium dewars during fills John constructs a scale to weigh helium dewars during fills • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15899646901/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7507/15899646901_70c5580e3d_m.jpg)
John constructs a scale to weigh helium dewars during fills
![Don repairs a cable Don repairs a cable • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15715860847/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8577/15715860847_c8f2511eed_m.jpg)
Don repairs a cable
![Jamil attaches the elevation locks Jamil attaches the elevation locks • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15715860667/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7497/15715860667_82dfed3196_m.jpg)
Jamil attaches the elevation locks
![And pauses to examine the source of annoying shutter sounds And pauses to examine the source of annoying shutter sounds • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875820286/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7530/15875820286_6a7a5fd80b_m.jpg)
And pauses to examine the source of annoying shutter sounds
![More star camera boxification More star camera boxification • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15279364214/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7471/15279364214_eb4747a362_m.jpg)
More star camera boxification
![Sasha is angry about sucky cables Sasha is angry about sucky cables • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15901623825/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7552/15901623825_fe2afbe0a1_m.jpg)
Sasha is angry about sucky cables
![Johanna in her black box Johanna in her black box • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15714319960/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8616/15714319960_e6dbc85954_m.jpg)
Johanna in her black box
![Routing fiber optic cables Routing fiber optic cables • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875818826/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7478/15875818826_600cd6c433_m.jpg)
Routing fiber optic cables
![Wrench dance? Wrench dance? • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15875818236/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8647/15875818236_b95e1c052f_m.jpg)
Wrench dance?
Featuring Cynthia
![Late shift prepares to fill liquid helium Late shift prepares to fill liquid helium • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27717602@N03/15899644331/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>](https://farm8.static.flickr.com/7461/15899644331_e86c097f7e_m.jpg)
Late shift prepares to fill liquid helium
I leave and miss the action
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